EA Press Conference Roundup

Ah, the power of dub step and flashing lights! No really, that’s how it all started. EA put on a nice light show with funky techno music, and then proceeded to showcase 11 games! Their press conference took place in the Shrine Auditorium, which I suppose is fitting considering the hero worship that took place there.

Peter Moore, got the ball rolling with a general overview of what to expect, and then showed us the trailer for Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare. In an epic, hilarious and incredibly impressive looking trailer, this new addition to the franchise looks pretty cool. John Vechey took to the stage to introduce this 3rd person action title, which cracking some really bad jokes – even the (over-enthusiastic) E3 audience didn’t laugh.

Then we saw the game play in 4-person co-op survival mode. It looks pretty cool – like a weird over-the-shoulder 3rd person MOBA. The action seems fluid and intense, with chaotic maps and a huge variety of mobs and bosses.

Oh, and as John Vechey left the stage, he jumped for joy announcing Peggle 2.

Next came Titanfall. It’s coming to Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC, no mention of PS4. This first-person shooter is determined to be “fun and unique” (yes, they kept using those words). Blending a single-player quality world with multiplayer, the goal was to make the world “living and breathing” to help create an emotional connection. The titans themselves are updates on modern exoskeletons, but more agile – not lumbering mecha giants.

Frank Gibeau then took to the stage to show the new innovation bought to you by Ignite and Frostbite 3. DICE, the EA studio in Sweden, is developing an all new game, but we just got a teaser. More than enough of a tease to set the crowd on fire – Star Wars Battlefront.

Next up, Need for Speed Rivals. It has some pretty cool functionality. By playing online, your single player game can become a multiplayer game, pretty much at anytime. This feature, All-Drive, “blurs the line between single player, co-op and multiplayer.” I must say, it’s pretty interesting technology – if they get it right it will make this racing game WAY more interesting. Oh, and they showed the Need for Speed movie, with a custom Ford Mustang on the stage that made all of us drool.

Next was Dragon Age: Inquisition, with a stunning trailer, launching in northern hemisphere fall 2014, so Q3. We didn’t see any game play, though. So basically we just know that the game is coming, and will include some of the old characters (like Morrigan). I’m excited to see what they do with this – I’m a huge fan of Dragon Age, but I wonder if they will listen to the fans when it comes to overcoming the problems that were in Dragon Age II.

Then, it was time for SPORTS! Lots and lots of sports. In fact, most of the second half of the conference was about sports.

First, was basketball. NBA Live 14 was shown with Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The highpoint – dribbling. It may not sound that impressive, but actually the technology is pretty cool. You will be able to control your dribbling, making the game more realistic and open up opportunities for creativity in the game.

Second, Madden! Yup, NFL, which no in SA really cares about. However, there will be some more realistic features – changes in footwork ability and instinctive movements, such as jumping over other players on the ground or slipping in-between a wall of defenders.

Following American football was what the rest of the world calls football. FIFA14 was introduced by Drake (not of Uncharted fame), talking about how he likes to play video games when he travels. We learn about how the new FIFA will have new stadium technology to make it more realistic, as well as “pro instincts” to help players maintain control of the ball, avoid collisions or brace for impact. With a plethora of new skills, the goal was to make the game more artistic and life-like.

Then, UFC. I’m not sure why Bruce Buffer (the voice of UFC) needing crib cards – couldn’t he memorize those few lines? But in any event, he introduced a bunch of pro UFC fighters, including Dana White, who told the story about why UFC is universal. Apparently, fighting was the first sport ever – before any other game, there were two men who fought and bystanders watched. Deep thoughts, man. The new technology is focused on bringing the fighting to life – when you get punched you will react instinctually. Yup, EA will let you know what it feels like to be punched in the face.

After the face punching, it was time for Battlefield 4. I must say, I was REALLY impressed. Introducing commander mode, we now understand the mobile solution that EA kept talking about. You can use your tablet in commander mode to interact with the game. EA went on to show us Siege of Shanghai, using 64 players in multiplayer. As they played through the demo, I was particularly impressed with the destructible environments and explosions! Looks like there is the potential for some major pwnage in this game. Apparently the computers were smoking by the end of the demo, but they certainly made a good show of the new Battlefield.

Finally, Mirror’s Edge 2. Yes, it looks pretty cool, although my FPS-induced nausea was pushed into full force just watching the trailer. Still, it’s nice to see that this much anticipated title is coming, and looks cool for those who can handle it.

There you have it, 11 new games coming from EA. As we know, we shouldn’t necessarily expect to see them on the Wii U, although considering the fallout with the Xbox One, EA may start singing a different tune.

Wielding my lasso of truth, I am the combination of nerd passion and grammar nazi. I delve into all things awesome and geek-tastic. You can read more of my words over at www.borngeek.co.za, or just follow me on all the social networks to get the true range of my sarcasm and wit.

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